[attach id=240914 size="medium"]Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio at the counting hall in Naxxar yesterday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli[/attach]
Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio yesterday welcomed his party’s “best result ever”, though he was visibly disappointed that it once again failed to have any candidates elected.
AD won 1.8 per cent of the vote, according to initial projections.
“If the figures are right, this is an increase of 1,500 votes from the last election,” Dr Briguglio told The Times, adding that around 5,400 Maltese and Gozitans had given their first count vote to AD.
“I thank all the voters who stood up to be counted and voted Green,” Dr Briguglio said.
He said there were “many reasons” for AD’s failure to elect an MP. “One was that there were many people who wanted a change in Government and simply switched to Labour, including people who were active in AD in the past,” he explained.
Asked about the future of AD, Dr Briguglio said it was up to the party members to decide on the way forward.
“I’m pretty sure things will continue,” he said.
However, he refused to comment on his own future in the party, saying only that he had not yet taken any decisions.
During this election campaign, AD marketed itself as a party with which voters knew where they stood. It is well-known for its pro-environment campaigning.
It is also anti-hunting, against squatters, in favour of gay marriage and supportive of a raise in the minimum wage.
AD had urged voters to make history to earn a seat in Parliament if it earned 2,000 first count votes in one district. However, the numbers did not materialise.
I thank all the voters who stood up to be counted and voted Green
In a press statement, AD expressed its satisfaction that its vote increased to 1.8 per cent from 1.3 per cent in 2008.
“We are happy that we increased the overall vote by more than 1,500 votes up to around 5,500. This is a historic result for AD, although it did not translate itself to parliamentary representation.”